Abstract: A process for the recovery of energy from a pressurised well stream containing a gas/liquid mixture, the process comprising: treating the well stream to a pre-separation process to separate it into gaseous and liquid phases, selecting appropriate proportions of said separated gaseous and liquid phases, recombining said selected proportions, and supplying the recombined mixture to the inlet of a rotary separation turbine, wherein said components are separated and energy is recovered from the flow by rotation of the turbine, said proportions of said gaseous and liquid phases being selected to produce an optimum mixture for supply to the rotary separation turbine.

Abstract: A method for separating gold and/or silver from copper or other contaminant metals is provided in which a suitable filter membrane (64), particularly a nanofilter, is used to form a retentate (134) containing most of the multivalent metal cyanide complexes and a permeate (135) containing most of the precious metal cyanide complexes. The process is particularly applicable to the recovery of gold and/or silver from ores containing these metals and one or more contaminant metals. The precious metal can thereafter be recovered from the permeate (135) and the metal in the multivalent metal cyanide complex from the retentate (134).

Abstract: A solid-liquid/liquid-liquid separator includes a vessel having a peripheral wall bounding a chamber. The chamber communicates with an inlet port and an outlet port. The vessel is rotatable about a rotational axis extending through the vessel. Disposed within the chamber are a plurality of fins. Each of the fins radially outwardly projecting from the rotational axis in substantially parallel alignment with the rotational axis. The fins interact with the peripheral wall to form a plurality of discrete flow channels that longitudinally extend through the vessel. An exit tube is disposed along a portion of the rotational axis of the vessel. The exit tube has a first end disposed within the chamber and an opposing second end in fluid communication with the exterior of vessel. A plurality of extraction tubes radially outwardly projecting from the rotational axis within the chamber.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for removing particulate matter and aerosols from a gas stream generated by gasification prior to the gas stream being used as fuel in an internal combustion device or as synthesis gas for subsequent processing. The present invention consists of first cooling the gas stream, then oil scrubbing it to further cool it and to remove particulates and some tars, and finally passing the gas stream through one or more vortex chambers to remove additional tars. Each vortex chamber employs a high-speed fan that forces the tar droplets against the interior wall of the vortex chamber where the tar coalesces and is removed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved method for deep selective hydrogenation for use in recovering high purity olefins from cracked gas effluents or other paraffin/olefin gaseous mixtures by use of a chemical absorption process.

Abstract: A digitized image is treated by an electronic system where pairs of pixels within a convolution window are compared, and for those differences which are greater than a preselected, or automatically calculated, threshold, a black or white vector is counted, respectively, depending on whether the more centrally located pixel is darker or lighter than the outer pixel. The central pixel is replaced with an enhanced value, if it is surrounded by a majority of significantly lighter or darker pixels, as indicated by the black and white vector counts. Weighting factors allows for custom tailoring the enhancement algorithm to suit the need of the particular image.

Abstract: A method for removing solid wastes from an organic extractant-based SX/EW copper processing system. A lixivant is initially applied to copper ore, followed by mixing of the copper-containing lixivant product with an organic extractant. The organic extractant (which contains extracted copper ions) is then contacted with an electrolyte solution. At least part of the remaining organic fraction after electrolyte contact is passed through a filtration membrane (either an ultrafiltration or microfiltration membrane) to remove solid wastes. The filtered organic fraction is then reused within the system, followed by electrowinning of the copper-containing electrolyte to recover purified copper. Alternatively, the organic extractant may be membrane-filtered after initial contact with the copper-containing lixivant product to remove solid wastes from the organic extractant.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for removing various contaminants (e.g., organic collectors, contaminant metals or spectator ions, and/or suspended and colloidal solids) from process streams in leaching processes. The contaminant removal is performed by one or more membrane filtration systems (e.g., nanofilters, ultrafilters, and/or microfilters) treating process streams including, the pregnant leaching solution, the barren raffinate, and the lean and rich electrolytes.

Abstract: A rubber-processing additive for use in bridging rubber grind and virgin rubber. The rubber-processing additive consists of a zeolite, a high molecular weight fatty acid, and a starch. The compound binds the rubber grind to the virgin rubber. The inventive compound is also composed of components that are non-toxic. The compound does not significantly affect the physical properties of the virgin rubber. A method for using a rubber-processing additive to bind rubber grind to virgin rubber is also provided. The method includes the step of adding the inventive compound to a mixture of rubber grind and virgin rubber.

Abstract: An organo-metallic compound for use as a chemical aid in using scrap plastics in rubber formulations. The organo-metallic compound includes a zeolite, a starch, and a high molecular weight fatty acid soap. The compounds are in powder form and mixed together by a high-speed blender. The inventive compound creates a bridge between the scrap plastic and the rubber formulation allowing a blend between the two compounds. The compound accomplishes this while using a non-toxic substance. A method for using scrap plastics in rubber formulations is also provided. The method includes the step of adding the inventive compound to the scrap plastic and the virgin rubber.

Abstract: A method suitable for treating used oil to remove ash and metal contaminants therefrom with minimum oxidation of the oil, the metal including at least one of the components of iron, lead, copper, zinc, sodium, magnesium, and calcium, to provide a highly purified oil product having less than 10 ppm of at least one of the contaminants and less than 0.15 wt. % of ash content. The method comprises providing a body of oil to be purified and chemically treating the oil to condition ash and metals contained therein to facilitate removal of ash and metal during membrane purification of the oil.

Abstract: A polymer modifying agent for use in increasing the shelf life of natural rubber. The polymer modifying agent consists of a zeolite, a high molecular weight fatty acid, a starch, a catalyst, and rubber processing oil and aliphatic resin. The compound bonds with the rubber, particularly the polymer chains of the rubber being encapsulated by the zeolite, preventing the aging effect caused by oxidation and light. The compound also acts to disperse the silica evenly throughout the rubber. The inventive compound is also composed of components that are non-toxic. A method of blocking the effects of premature curing of rubber is also provided. The method includes a step of adding the inventive compound to the rubber.

Abstract: Oxidizable contaminants in water are destroyed rapidly and efficiently by exposing the water to oxidizing conditions under pressure. Specifically, a single dose of hydrogen peroxide may be injected into the water, followed by the repeated injection and mixing of low doses of ozone. In each such high intensity mixing/reaction stage, ozone is injected at a pressure, velocity, and direction approximately matching that of the contaminated water flow. High intensity mixing under pressure facilitates rapid and complete oxidation of the contaminants with minimal stripping of volatile contaminants and waste of undissolved ozone. Residual ozone levels after high intensity mixing may be carefully monitored and minimized by adjusting the injection of hydrogen peroxide and ozone in order to suppress the formation of bromate. Additional contaminants may be removed by passing the treated water through activated carbon beds.

Abstract: An apparatus 100 for removing surface non-uniformities is provided. This apparatus has a stage 103 for holding a substrate 127 to be processed. This substrate often includes a film thereon, where the film has the non-uniformities. The apparatus 200 includes a movable head 111, which can provide rotatable movement about a fixed axis 123. A drive motor 115 is operably attached to the movable head 111 to provide this rotatable movement. A pad 113 (e.g., polishing or planarizing pad) is attached to the movable head. This pad 113 comprises an abrasive material and also has a smaller length (e.g, diameter, etc.) relative to a length (e.g, diameter, etc.) of the substrate. The smaller pad is capable of selectively removing a portion of the non-uniformities on the film.

Abstract: A method of forming a sidewall for a reactor for oxidizing volatile or semi-volatile organic compounds, the sidewall being reactive with gaseous oxidation products produced by the oxidation of the volatile or semi-volatile organic compounds, includes, i) providing a dry mixture of material comprising by weight: from about 23% to 35% cement; from about 30% to 45% added CaO; from about 6% to 20% added Ca(OH).sub.2 ; and from about 10% to 25 % added CaSO.sub.4 ; ii) combining the dry mixture of material with water and forming a slurry therefrom; iii) forming the slurry into a desired reactor sidewall shape; and iv) hardening the shaped slurry into a hardened cement reactor sidewall.

Abstract: A method for separating gold from copper in a gold ore processing system. Gold ore containing elemental gold and elemental copper is treated with an aqueous cyanide solution to produce a liquid product containing a gold-cyanide complex and a copper-cyanide complex. The liquid product is then delivered to a nanofiltration membrane which prevents the copper-cyanide complex from passing therethrough while allowing passage of the gold-cyanide complex. Nanofiltration of the liquid product specifically produces (1) a retentate which contains the copper-cyanide complex; and (2) a permeate which contains the gold-cyanide complex. In this manner, the gold-cyanide complex is effectively separated from the copper-cyanide complex. The permeate is then treated (e.g. with activated carbon or elemental zinc) to ultimately obtain elemental gold therefrom. The copper-cyanide complex may either be discarded or treated to recover elemental copper from the complex.

Abstract: Solvent deasphalting apparatus includes a separator that receives two inputs, a heavy hydrocarbon feed and a solvent feed; and the apparatus produces two outputs, an asphaltene/solvent stream and a deasphalted oil/solvent stream. A solvent recovery unit of the apparatus receives the two output streams and produces mainly a substantially solvent-free deasphalted oil product stream, a substantially solvent-free asphaltene product stream, and a recovered solvent stream which is returned to a solvent drum. A pump pumps a substantially constant volume of solvent from the solvent drum into a by-pass line connecting the pump to the solvent drum, and into a connection line connecting the pump to the separator. The amount of solvent flow in the connection line is functionally related to the level of heavy hydrocarbon feed so that solvent in excess of that flowing into the connection line and spills back to the solvent drum through the by-pass line.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating solvent in a feed of solvent and deasphalted oil produced in a deasphalting process includes a feed line for receiving the feed and constructed and arranged to produce a stream of fluid containing supercritical solvent and deasphalted oil. A substantially horizontally disposed inlet line receives the stream of fluid and is designed to effect two phase laminar flow at the outlet of the inlet line. The two phase laminar flow has a substantially horizontally disposed interface that divides the stream into an upper part containing the lighter supercritical solvent which floats on a lower part containing the heavier deasphalted oil.

Abstract: Power is generated in an organic Rankine cycle turbine by expanding a stream of solvent vapor produced by a flash drum in a deasphalting unit to produce a stream of expanded solvent vapor that is combined with a stream of solvent vapor and steam from a stripper of the deasphalting unit. Heat is extracted from the combined stream by an organic fluid that is vaporized and supplied to a Rankine cycle organic vapor turbine that produces power and expanded organic vapor. The solvent is recovered from the cooled, combined stream and re-used in the deasphalting unit. Heat extracted from products of the deasphalting unit vaporizes an organic fluid that is expanded in an organic vapor turbine that generates power.

Abstract: A mobile process to reclaim spent aqueous glycol solutions used as heat transfer fluids and which contains deleterious contaminants, oil/grease, corrosion products, and additives such as buffers and corrosion inhibitors. Particulate contaminates and oil/grease are removed by passing the solution through an ultrafiltration membrane. The dissolved contaminants are removed by passing through a series of ion exchange resin (IER) vessels. The reclaimed glycol solution is reused after replacing the required additives. One embodiment provides for central processing of the filtration and absorption media housed in a mobile enclosure, such as a trailer. The mobile trailer may be used at various collection sites for cleaning and reprocessing spent glycols. After the media are spent, the mobile trailer is returned to a central processing facility for regeneration of the filtration and absorption media. The waste produced by the regeneration is concentrated at a single treatment and disposal facility.